Some decisions should be left in God’s hands

I WRITE as a Christian, and former Anglican, who usually takes a strong stand against persons and churches that take unbiblical positions on the abortion issue. I see the Bible as taking an unequivocally pro-life position on behalf of the born and unborn. The headline in The Observer of April 29 shouted, ‘Yes to abortion’. The article was not as unbalanced as I at first expected, as it explained the wrestling that the Anglican Church had seemingly gone through to arrive at a largely anti-abortion position.

The church said it would excuse abortions that were not based on “convenience”, but in instances of “rape or incest, cases in which a mother’s physical or mental health is at risk, or cases involving foetal abnormalities”.

I can appreciate the balanced position the church took on the issue, but I still have reservations about a couple of the situations in which they would allow abortions: “a mothers’ physical or mental health is at risk, or cases involving foetal abnormalities”. While there may be rare cases in which these issues have validity, I can see that this provides a wedge that is very likely to be exploited by mothers and doctors and will allow for possible abuses, human nature being as it is.

If these exceptions are allowed, there needs to be safeguards legislated to prevent these foreseen abuses. Maybe there should be a requirement that such a decision should only be arrived at on the decision of two or more doctors, along with the mother and her parents, if she is a minor.

My mother faced a similar decision concerning her pregnancy with the last of seven children. There was a danger to her own life if the pregnancy was taken to term, and the doctor recommended taking the unborn life. Fortunately, she chose to leave the decision, and her life, in God’s hands. She gave birth to a healthy boy child who has grown up and enjoyed a full, active and productive life. He serves today as the chief accountant for the Anglican Church.

Some decisions should be left in God’s hands despite our doubts and fears. A good and caring God can be trusted to do what is right.